Fat Cat Grill & Bar — Restaurant in Norwich

This review was originally created in June of 2012, I should also add that we have been back many times and our opinion remains the same. Fat Cats The other night we decided to make that horrible trip to Norwich and dine at Fat Cats. I need to share what an amazing dinner we had, we started out with crab cakes and stuff mushrooms; the mushrooms were wonderful with the seafood and cracker stuffing baked in a mix of sherry and butter. It was like little pieces of heaven in my mouth. We also wanted to try the crab cakes, I will admit I was hesitant about this, usually the only time I have crab cakes is when I am in Maryland everywhere else always ends up a disappointment. Now I must admit I was pleasantly surprised, these crab cakes were loaded with meat and had very little (almost no) filler in them. The flavor was one that is comparable to Maryland. The portion was two cakes which is equal to the usual one large cake I have in Maryland. I am still shocked we found a place to have crab cakes where I do not have to drive for six hours. In between our appetizers and meal I had no choice but to re-live memories of my youth and have a bowl of their chicken soup. If you never had Greek chicken soup you must do yourself a favor and have a bowl. It is a wonderful blend of basic chicken and rice soup then fresh lemon and egg are gently incorporated the finished product was creamy and light a pleasant surprise to anyone’s palette. The two main courses were; the Fat Cat special and an old favorite Chicken Oscar, which had been modified from the original recipe. The new and improved version has fresh lobster meat added to it. The main courses arrived at our table; the pizza was a perfect golden brown with all the toppings brought to the edge of the crust, the pizza had a layer of seasoned hamburger (much like crumbled meatball) then a layer of pepperoni, followed by peppers, onions, and mushrooms, this was all topped with a generous amount of Mozzarella cheese. My partner never eats the crust on a pizza until now, this was the only time I have ever seen him eat the entire slice without leaving me so much as a crumb. My meal was the Chicken Oscar; placed in front of me was a whole breast of chicken both sides sautéed to a nice brown color, then fresh lobster meat, steamed broccoli, and a covering of mozzarella were place on top of the twin breasts. The meal was completed with a wonderful butter, lemon, and white wine sauce. A meal created for kings (or Queens). Our server was Felicia, she was attentive without being a nuisance, her knowledge of the menu was exceptional and she gladly shared her opinions and favorites. The background music was a nice jazzy blues which added to a very relaxing atmosphere, To many times we go to an establishment where the music doesn't fit the menu; tonight it did. I think I have found a good reason to drive to Norwich, Fat Cats is most definitely an experience that...

I've eaten here several times and was always happy with the food & service. It was my most recent experience that put a bad taste in my mouth about this place.

Six months ago I started planning my engagement. It was very in depth and took a lot of research, which is why I planned six months out. It started with a day trip to three of her favorite wineries and ended at Preston Ridge Vineyard. There we had a picnic and I placed the ring on the grapes on the vine for her to find. I hired a photographer to capture the moment and had a Bluetooth device play our song when she discovered the ring. I also rented out the vineyard for a private dinner for two after it closed. This is where Fat Cats came in.

I wanted to have a meal prepared and delivered to us at Preston Ridge. I called and spoke with Nicole and she assured me they could do it. I called again and spoke to her once the time got closer. She directed me to speak with Steven. I made an appointment to come in and speak with Steven regarding the menu and cost to do this. We sat down for about 15 minutes and he was clear on what I wanted. He said he would get back to me on the cost but never did. He completely dropped the ball within weeks of the engagement; never heard from the guy again. I found myself jumping through hoops at the last minute to find a place close that would do this for me.

I'm a very straight forward guy, and expect honesty. If you didn't want to do the job, just say so. Don't blow me off and compromise the most important day of my life that I spent six months planning. I will never eat at...

Very poor customer service - by the owner's daughter apparently!

I will preface this by saying I placed my order via Door Dash, and ultimately that was the mistake. BUT it is how the incorrect order was dealt with by the restaurant. I called to inform them my order was incorrect and I didn't get what I ordered. I was immediately told I got what I ordered. I then tried to explain, no, I didn't get what I ordered. I explained what I did order and was told that item wasn't on the menu any longer and the issue was with Door Dash because they had an old menu. I tried to explain that, ultimately, the issue was theirs because Door Dash is representing them and if they get the order incorrect it reflects on them. I was repeatedly interrupted while trying to speak. Nicole, who I was speaking with, kept blaming me and Door Dash for the issue rather than owning it and working to make it good. All she had to do was apologize, state that the issue was with Door Dash, but they would make good on it. Instead, I was lectured to the point of Nicole telling me that her parents own the restaurant, they've been in business for 25-years, and she's a stay at home mom who works two days a week and is just there today to cover for someone. She then told me she was too busy to speak with me and I could call back later if I wanted to continue the conversation. Seriously lacking in any customer service skills. So the bottom line is Fat Cat doesn't care about their customers and be wary of Door Dash....